Nights Like These
by Chongy
Summary: Hermione is in a coma, has been for nearly a whole year. Every night, Draco Malfoy sits by her bed, talking to her. And every night on his departure, he leaves her a rose. Rated T at the moment, but the rating will probably go up because there is a need to do so for future chapters: there are some themes not suited for a younger audience.
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Note: _**_Hello guys :) So anyway, I had this BAD BOY already written and rearing to go (I've had it for ages, I don't know why I hadn't made a FanFicition account and posted it up before), and I'm stalling because I need to write another chapter for Beneath the Darkness, so I thought I'd post this up for you guys in the meantime. It was originally going to be a oneshot, but I had to go through and edit it and everything all over again, and then I added more things (it was like that meme, I was editing it and chanting "**ADD *ALL* THE THINGS!**") so it is actually now going to be another longish story :D yaaaaaaay! This setting is entirely different, and I was also considering making this part of the ending of Beneath the Darkness, but this was pretty good on it's own.  
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_So here you go :) Enjoy!_

_**Disclaimer:** No, I don't own Harry Potter. I don't own J.K. Rowling either, which is a pity because if I did then I would own Harry Potter too. :)  
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"Hermione? Wake up...please..."

The last word was barely a whisper, broken and cracked, spoken from pale lips and an even paler face. Pale blonde hair fell in silvery gray eyes, and Draco Malfoy put his hand on Hermione's cheek.

Every day he came to visit her comatose form. Every day, he'd sit and tell her stories, or simply tell her about his day. Every day, on his departure, he left a fragrant and beautiful bloom, each one a different hue, and with a magical air about them; they never died. A huge vase of them sat on the table beside her bed; a rainbow of roses.

"Today," he began, his eyes watching her face before quickly darting to the floor. "was awful. People still call me a Death Eater, even after my trial and everything." Draco glanced down at his left forearm, which was covered by a long white sleeve. "I have the Mark of a Death Eater, but I never was one...I never wanted to be one anyway; but I told you that already when we were together. I... I wish I could've been brave enough like you would have been to stand up to them today, and back then when I got the Mark, but I..." he took in a deep breath to try and steady his shaky voice; it didn't work. "I just couldn't do it. So I let them laugh at me, point and stare, call me names and insult me to my face as well as behind their hands. I guess I know how you felt in school." he said ruefully, taking her hand as he so often did and rubbing circles into the back of it.

"But I just... sometimes it all gets too much and I..." He glanced at her, then looked away to the window. "I've thought about suicide so many times. It's too much. When I was with you, things were different." He smiled slightly, lost in happy memories. "You were like a sun to me, banishing all the shadows, but when..." He said the next part in a barely-audible whisper. "I have the utensils at home to kill myself in the most painful ways imaginable, I mean, if everyone says I'm... if they really think I'm that bad then maybe I should rid them of myself, but I..." he swallowed. "I just end up thinking about you, and how if I die, I'll never be able to make it up to you. I know we didn't work out, but I..." Draco watched the sky outside lighten. "I have to go now." He said abruptly, standing. "But here." He pulled a dusky red rose from his pocket and laid it delicately on Hermione's bedside table. "Until tomorrow." And Draco walked slowly from the room.

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"I have a story for you today."

Draco took a deep breath and began. "Once upon a time, there was a spoilt prince. He was royalty, and so treated his subjects like they were below him, even though really, he was just insecure. Then one day, his parents died in a horrible attack on the castle. He had to grow up quickly, from a boy into a man very fast.

"One day he met a girl that made his heart flutter, and his palms go sweaty. His parents would have disapproved immensely, as she was considered commoner than dirt. But the prince didn't care. He was a king now, he'd do as he pleased. He'd set new standards for his kingdom.

"But the girl hated him, hated him for treating everyone so horribly, and for getting his way all the time. She loathed him. And he started loathing himself, too.

"Years later, he professed his love for her. She was shocked. She agreed to marry him, but only if he could procure a Phoenix of the rarest kind: a bluey-black bird with a large crest of fire coloured feathers upon its head, and a plume of more fiery colours from its tail.

"And so the king went on a great quest, knowing she'd only accept if he got it himself.

"He travelled very far, across many oceans and many lands, and found _himself_ on his travels. He found he wasn't stupid, or evil, or ugly, or unworthy. He was the opposite of these things, and he realised his self loathing was silly: why should he hate himself if everyone else did? He could still be his own person, he didn't have to listen to them.

"The king searched far and wide, and eventually he found one, and took it back to the girl he wished to marry.

"She was proud of him, and told him that that was a quest for him to find himself, and it didn't matter about the Phoenix.

"They..." Draco faltered, sadness welling up in his chest. "They lived... happily ever after." He stood abruptly, blinking very quickly. "I... I have to go, Hermione." He said hastily. "But here's another rose from my garden in the meantime." Draco plucked a vibrant orange rose from his pocket; it was her favourite colour, and he laid it on the beside table next to her.

He stood by her hospital bed for a few more minutes, surveying her lovely face with sadness and concern in his eyes. Draco held her hand again, wondering at how small her hand was in his. "Hermione, I know I never said this to you before, and there were so many opportunities that I wasted but I..." He swallowed. "I love-"

"Hurry up Harry! She might have woken up!"

Draco whipped his head around as he heard Weasel's voice coming from outside Hermione's hospital room. "I have to leave now." He said, leaning down and kissing her forehead gently. "See you tomorrow night." He pulled the hood of his cloak over his face and walked out of the room, past Scarhead and Weaselbee, who didn't recognise him, and out of St. Mungo's hospital.

Ron ran inside Hermione's room, excited beyond belief, but she was still in her coma, chest rising and falling slowly. He sat down on the bedside chair, dejected, when he saw the rose. Ron bristled. Some guy had the nerve to come in while he wasn't there and give _his_ Hermione bloody flowers!

Harry came in. "Oh... she's still asleep." He saw the rose. "That's nice, maybe it's one of her friends."

Ron relaxed, shoulders slumping forwards again and he smiled. "Yeah, probably."

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_**Author's Note: **The next chapter for this should be up in a couple of hours, and the next chapter for BtD (Beneath the Darkness is too long for my hands to type out, apparently) should be out if not tonight (tonight for me down here in New Zealand, that is), then tomorrow night maaaayyybbeeee. _

_~Chongy_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note:** This one is quite short. I'm sorry :( But like I said, I've got more chapters lined up and waiting :) Enjoy!_

_**Disclaimer:** A list of things I own: A guitar, a fountain pen, a pair of sunglasses, a smart phone, and some other stuff. A list of things I don't own: Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy (not owning Draco makes me the saddest), J.K. Rowling, the Harry Potterverse, an iPhone or Draco Malfoy. Wait, did I say Draco twice?_

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Draco walked in, his anxiety getting the better of him and making him nervous. "Hermione?"

She was still asleep.

He let out a frustrated growl and sat down beside her. "Why won't you wake up? You don't really have a reason to wake up for me, I guess... but Potter and Weasel? Why won't you wake up for them?" he sighed, feeling tears in his eyes and trying to rapidly blink them away. "I... today wasn't good either." He touched his tender jaw gently and hissed in pain. "I got beaten up. I didn't want to fight them, but they didn't care, they beat me up anyway, thought it was all just a joke. I'm not really a person to them because I was a Death Eater. Still am in their eyes." He said resentfully. "Now I have a wrist that may or may not be fractured, a twisted ankle, and bruised ribs. Great, huh?" Draco chuckled weakly, but stopped when his ribs started protesting.

He paused. "I didn't get to tell you yesterday, but I... I love you, Hermione. Everyone will probably call me cowardly for saying it like this, and I guess they're right. I was too scared to say it to your face because I thought you'd just laugh at me. All these years..." He sighed. "I've told you this before, and I'll tell you again, Hermione, because I want- no, I _need_ you to know, to understand. I always watched you at school. You were my rival, not only in house, but academics. I was second only to you, and it intrigued me. So I hid behind insults and name calling, if only to get closer to you, to watch you, to see how you reacted to different situations. In Sixth year I wanted to give up on life; the Dark Lord would've killed me if I didn't comply with his plans to kill Dumbledore...and I couldn't leave my mother alone in the world with Lucius." He spat the name viciously. "During the War..." He swallowed. "I wanted to leave, so badly. But I couldn't. I was never brave enough to stand up to Him, like you were.

"And after the War, after we broke up? I never stopped thinking about you. I watched every interview, listened to your voice on the radio, read all the papers. I never stopped berating myself for letting you go, for letting the sun slip between my fingers... and now its too late. I know that... that you and Weasel are... are engaged..." He bit his lip and blinked very quickly. "I love you, Hermione, don't you see? I could..." He stopped. "No I couldn't. I can't give you anything you'd want that Weasley doesn't already have, and money doesn't count for anything." Draco closed his eyes, missing the fluttering of Hermione's eyelids. "But I just wanted you to know. Congratulations on your engagement, anyway."

This time he plucked a red rose tipped with gold from his pocket, placing it in the usual spot beside her bed. "For my Gryffindor Princess." He said, then stood and kissed her cheek. "I'm glad that you're happy... that's all I ever wanted. See you tomorrow."

He turned and strode from the room, regret and resentment heavy in his heart.

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_**Author's Note:** Sorry it's so short. Please don't kill me. ;)_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: **I got carried away because I have no life (it's the end of the holidays and I don't want to think about school), so this one is a longish chapter. Until NazChick pointed it out, I didn't actually think about putting in why Hermione was in a coma. But of course, it actually makes sense to any normal person (i.e. not me) to put in the reason why. That's also why this chapter is so long- I had to add in a whole new night and then fabricate the whole story of what happened to her. Also, I was thinking about putting in a flashback of their break-up fight later on. Your thoughts? Tell me in a review!_

_Enjoy! :)_

_**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter? Owning him? What?!  
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"I saw her her finger twitch! I saw it, I saw it!"

Harry moved closer to the bed and saw her finger twitch again. "You're right!" he said gleefully. "Nurse? I think she's waking up, we saw her finger twitch several times!"

Hermione's eyelids fluttered as the nurse came over. "Just because all these things are happening, doesn't mean she'll wake up any time soon." The nurse said wisely. "Her injuries were severe, and curses like these have no cure. We just have to wait it out."

"Oh."

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Hermione heard footsteps approaching her bed, so she tried to opened her eyes to see who it was, but found she couldn't. Her lids only flickered. And suddenly a voice spoke as the person sat down in the chair next to her.

"Do you remember how you came to be in a coma?" Said Draco, sitting by her side and watching her still and peaceful face. "Let me remind you, and I'll tell you the story of how it ends."

Hermione knew that voice. He'd come to visit her last night, she had heard everything he said and she had known that voice before that. She'd nearly been engaged to him at one stage, and then they had their huge fight. Every night he came, every night she heard him. And yet she couldn't open her eyes to watch Draco Malfoy speak to her.

"You'd had a big argument with Weasley in the Three Broomsticks, and you stormed out into the snow, as you always did when you got angry. And you walked up to the Shrieking Shack, where I was leaning against the fence, lost in thought. I was thinking about us, actually. The newspapers had said you and Weasley were together, and I was fingering a small velvety black box in my pocket. I pulled it out and opened it, sighing and shutting it again almost instantly." Hermione remembered, but wondered how Draco knew the exact details of why she'd left the Three Broomsticks.

I was going to propose to you the day after you left, though I doubt you would've even known I was planning anything. In the whole two years we were together, I never told you that I loved you, and I regret that so much. But I think you _must_ have known, I mean, look at you, you're fucking beautiful, Hermione. You always were, and you always will be. I had my proposal all planned out, how we'd go out to dinner, how we'd walk along the grounds of our old school. How we'd stop at the place where you hit me in our third year, and how I'd smile, bend down on one knee, tell you how much I loved you and ask you to be my wife. But all that was totally ripped from my grasp when you moved out the day before. The ring was perfect for you. I knew exactly what you liked. It was a gold band with a small emerald clutched in the golden claws of the ring. It was beautiful, like you, and simple. I knew you never wanted anything too flashy, unlike what that stupid Weasley gave you." Hermione wanted to cry, to sob uncontrollably until Draco gathered her in his arms and told her it was okay. He took her hand instead, rubbing soothing circles into it. _Why did we fight? Why did I move out? Why..._ "Now _that_ was excessively flashy. He wanted to claim you, so he gave you that as his way of saying '_you're mine_'. Of course, Weasley has a bit of money now, being one of the famous Golden Trio." Draco's disdain was almost tangible. "Anyway, just after I put it away, you came thundering up the hill, not noticing me. And then... and then _she_ appeared." Draco shuddered.

"Bellatrix Lestrange came strolling out from behind the trees, as mad as ever, looked at me- _she fucking looked at me before she did it_! She _knew_ how I felt about you, and then she... she smiled. And then turned and cursed you. I was ready to kill something. But I had to check you first. Bellatrix cackled and Disapparated. I knew I would track her down. I would _kill_ her. But I had to make sure you were okay. You were breathing, but you were... you were like this. I sent red sparks up in the air, knowing that someone would see. I stayed with you the whole time it took for someone to come running. As soon as I heard their footsteps though, I left. It would look like I'd done something to you, and I wouldn't be able to stand that kind of torture; being blamed for doing something bad to someone I dearly loved._  
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So every night, I visit you in the hospital. And during the days, I used to track dear old Aunt Bella down. It wasn't hard to find her, but it was damn hard to catch her. Slippery bitch..." He added, his nose wrinkled delicately in disgust. Hermione wished she could squeeze his hand or something, to communicate somehow that she was listening. But she couldn't.

Draco continued. "Today, Hermione, today I found that bitch. I'd like to say that I tortured her until she begged for mercy, because she deserved it for hurting you. No-one hurts you and gets away with it, not even myself. But I couldn't. I didn't want to stoop to her level by doing that. But I didn't want her hurting you- or anyone else, but mostly you- ever again, and I knew if they put her in Azkaban, she'd escape again. So I... I killed her."

There was a long silence. "I'm sorry. I never wanted to kill anyone, but I had to. I had to keep you safe." His hand was wrenched from hers and left an aching warmth in Hermione's palm. "This rose is special," He told her quietly. "It will always remind us of the day you were safe forever." And he placed the rose on her bedside table and walked out.

It was the darkest black imaginable, glittering slightly and twinkling in places like stars, almost like there was a hole in the universe that had been cut out in the shape of a beautiful rose, the only black bloom in the entire collection.

It mourned the loss of his innocence.

It mourned the loss of his only love.

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Hermione heard the familiar rhythm of Draco's footsteps arriving at her side, and impatiently willed his casual strides to hurry up.

"I heard that you were waking up, it was all over the Daily Prophet this evening. The Sleeping Beauty finally returns to her red haired knight."

He paused. "I don't have a story for you today, Hermione." She liked the way he said her name, like it was the name of a holy goddess he wanted to chant forever. "I just wanted to tell you that... well, I..." He tried again, and his words came out like a burst dam. "Hermione, I'm sorry. I know that in our last fight I told you I could never love you because you were a Mudblood. I... I _lied_! I was scared. I was scared of us, and what we were, and what we were going to be, I was scared for you, for me, and I... I was..." A single tear fell from his lashes and landed on Hermione's cheek. Draco quickly wiped the sign of his weakness away with his thumb, caressing Hermione's cheek lovingly. "I was scared of losing you."

He sighed. "You know I never meant any of those things I said." He was still stroking her cheek. "You know I only push people away and say things to hurt them when they're getting too close to me, too close to breaking my barriers. You know I'm always guarded, you know I don't let many people- if any- in. You _know_ that, Hermione. But you didn't listen to me, and that's why... that's why we had that argument. And it's why you moved out. It... it's why you're marrying Weasley and... not me."

There was a long silence while Draco tried to pull himself together. "I talked to Severus the other day. I told him about you, and how I... how I love you. He told me the same kind of thing happened to him and Potter's mother, Lily. He said to never let you go. But I..." He faltered, his voice cracking and barely a whisper. "I have to let you go, Hermione, for your sake. I don't want to break you and Weasley up, you're... you're happy together. I want you to be happy. Imagine what people would think of you if you married me. They'd probably think I'd bewitched you, especially after that fight, and then you'd receive the same treatment as I get every day, and I can't put you through that."

Draco stood, and Hermione heard the rustle of material and something being placed on her bedside table. This happened every night too. "I... I'm going away for a while, to Paris, I think. I don't think I could stand seeing you and Weasley being happy together, knowing that it could've been me at one stage. I... I want to try to forget about you, and I know how selfish that sounds. But you're constantly on my mind, Hermione, and I can't stop it. It-" He closed his eyes and slowly opened them again. "It _hurts_ _so much_ to think about you. And I don't want it to hurt any more. I want you to be happy, but I... well, goodbye, Hermione." He leaned down and kissed her very lightly on the lips this time. "I wish things had been different... so here's a rose to remember me by."

And his footsteps retreated.

Hermione felt tears streaming from her eyes, and finally she could open them. The first thing she saw was the magnificent amount of beautiful roses in the vase beside her; not one was the same shade, and they marked out the days she had spent trapped in her mind, all two hundred and thirty-six of them. She saw the single rose in a much smaller vase, red and gold, like Gryffindor, and reached out to touch it.

Then she saw it. The most beautiful of all. Each petal had a beautiful silvery sheen over its emerald green colour, shimmering in the faint morning light. It's stalk and the sepals were the same emerald shade as the petals.

_Here's a rose to remember me by..._

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_**Author's note: **For the people who have no idea what a sepal is, it's the green part at the base of the flower :)  
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_~Chongy_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note:** Hello again! Yay an update! Here is chapter 4 guys! Enjoy :)_

_**Disclaimer: **'Arry Po'arh? Who' dat den brah? Nah I ain't been owning him, brah.  
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"Hermione, stop fidgeting, I'm trying to do your hair and it keeps slipping!"

"I-I'm so sorry, Ginny."

Her friend glanced up at her through the mirror, smiling warmly. "Don't worry about it. I know you're nervous. I was too when I married Harry, you remember." She winked as she placed the final pearl-topped pin into Hermione's now sleek and rolled hair. Ginny spun Hermione around to face her and began applying Hermione's makeup.

When she'd finished, Ginny stepped back to scrutinize her, and Hermione felt herself squirm and blush under the gaze. "You look beautiful, Hermione. I'm so happy you're finally becoming a member of the family." She frowned slightly, then amended her words. "I mean, you already were, but now it's official!"

Hermione smiled Ginny, who didn't seem to notice that Hermione's smile wasn't a happy one. "Yeah..."

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The strings of the cello warbled over the sound of the violinist, who was sweating to try and keep up. The sun was glorious, and Hermione tried to smile at all her family and friends as they watched her, some with tears in their eyes, others with faces full of love. She felt like she was betraying them all. She looked up and saw Ron looking back at her, a tentative smile breaking out on his face.

At the altar, Hermione couldn't stay focused. She kept looking back at the crowd of family and friends, expecting- almost _needing_- to see a flash of pale blonde hair and stormy gray eyes watching her cautiously. That would mean he approving of what she was doing. But every time she looked back, she was disappointed. He wasn't there, even though she'd sent him an invitation. She fidgeted anxiously with her dress, rubbing the shiny white satin between her fingers. She met Ron's smiling eyes, but then quickly looked away, a heavy sense of guilt weighing her eyes down. A war was raging in her head.

_What's between you and Draco has passed. You're happy with Ron, right?_

_Yes, I'm happy, but I'm not-_

"Does anyone have any objections?"

Hermione wished that _he_ was here so she didn't have to say it alone.

_I'm sorry, Ron._

"I do."

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Draco saw the front page of the Prophet. "Oh no..." He mumbled, fumbling for some change in his pocket for the owl. "Granger, why? What happened between you and Weasel? Did he hurt you?" He frowned, sighing and watching the owl fly away. "You were so, so happy together."

He rolled up the Prophet and shoved it in his bag, which was slung over his shoulder, and walked out of his door and down to the town square, where a Muggle market was bustling with happy Parisians.

The sun beat down fiercely, and Draco found himself wishing he hadn't worn dark jeans and a loose, long sleeved white shirt. It was his usual attire, but the sun was too hot today for such clothing, and the worst part was that he was going to get sunburnt. He rolled the sleeves of his shirt up just past the elbow and heard a muffled gasp. Murmuring broke out from a few of the people around him, and he frowned.

_Why- oh._ His Dark Mark was on display for all to see. To Muggles, it was probably just a dangerous-looking tattoo, but to other wizards... He continued his walking around the Market, picking up bread and fruit, and giving the vendors the correct Muggle money for the first time. Draco was proud of himself.

He found it comforting to be in a street full of people who didn't know who he was, and didn't care who he was either. It made him relaxed and happy, and had brought him out of his depression, erasing his slumped shoulders until he stood with the same elegance and poise he had when he was still at school. A slight bounce in his steps, head held regally upon his long neck. He walked with pride, now.

He liked exploring Paris, but he got lonely sometimes; he hadn't really made any friends in his whole year of living there, and whenever he saw couples in the cafes he went to, he watched them with envy. He enjoyed the gentle flow of life though, and with the fortune that was left to him as the last remaining heir of the Malfoys, it wasn't as if he had to struggle, though he did go and work in the local bookstore from time to time. He liked living the Muggle lifestyle, and soon found he used as many Muggle items as magical ones.

Life was good.

He smiled to himself, and walked into the bookstore, looking for a good yarn. He loved all the stories; their authors may have been Muggles, but their words were magical. He picked up a book at random and took it to the counter, smiling at the old lady who served him.

"Hello, Draco!" She said in French, smiling sweetly back at him. "How are you today?"

"I'm well Blanche," He replied in the same tongue. "And yourself?"

"I am well."

Later, Draco walked back into his small house, lugging his bag to the kitchen and putting all his new food in the cupboards. He turned to the tiny table with his book in hand, and saw the wedding invitation that lay still sealed there. It had been there for three months now, and each time he looked at it, it reminded him of what he'd been trying to forget. He didn't _want_ to remember her, he wanted to move on with his life. The pang in his chest increased, and he chewed his lip thoughtfully, not understanding why he'd been invited. The whole year she'd been awake they'd had no contact, and he'd been doing so well in forgetting Hermione, taking long walks around the city or sitting inside reading on rainy days. He'd even had fun in the snow, and at one stage made warm and dry snow fall inside his house, which was fun until he remembered he had to clean it up.

Draco looked down at the little envelope again. It was thick, cream coloured card, embossed with silver writing. It was simple and delicate. _Hermione must have chosen the design. It won't be too bad if I read it then_, he thought, and carefully opened it.

_"Draco Malfoy,_ y_ou are cordially invited to the joining of Hermione Jean Granger and Ronald Billius Weasley in holy matrimony..."_ Draco frowned slightly as a scrap of parchment fell out. It was in familiar neat and tidy handwriting, a font that used to be on all the old school books in his house when she'd moved in... Hermione's handwriting.

It read:

_"Dear Draco,_

_How are you? I'm sorry I haven't been in touch for so long, things have been really busy with the wedding and everything-"_

Draco snorted. _Busy planning a wedding for a whole year? Uh-huh, pull the other one.  
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_"I was wondering if we could meet up soon over some butterbeer or something. I want to talk to you about... things. I don't know if you knew- or even realized- that I was conscious the whole time I was in the coma. I heard everything. I know and I remember everything you said, Draco. That's what I want to talk to you about. If you don't want to meet up, I'll always see you at the wedding._

_Thank you for all the roses, Draco. You know they're my favourite. Ron tried to claim they were from him, but he can't tell a flower from a weed, and when I asked him what type of flowers they were, he told me they were 'dankirs', which I don't even think is a word._

_Anyway, please owl me back, and I'd love you see you at my wedding._

_Love, Hermione."_

Draco stared at the parchment for a few seconds, not truly believing what he'd read. Both his eyebrows were raised and his mouth set in a firm line.

Then he crumpled the invitation and parchment in his hand, shaking violently with a swirl of mortification, hurt and hatred, tossing it angrily at the wall. _Why in the name of Merlin's beard would I want to go to her bloody wedding?!_ He took several deep breaths as everything he had managed to file away in his mind came bursting from their confines.

Draco walked out of the kitchen and in the hall, his face dark and angry like thunder. He punched the wall by the front door, a large hole appearing which he didn't bother to fix as he wrenched the front door open, walked out and slammed it behind him, the stained glass rattling in it's frame. He strode down his street in the darkening evening, oblivious to the stares from the townsfolk as he passed them by. Draco walked once around the block, all his anger burning away and leaving only an aching sadness in the pit of his stomach. At one point during his walk, he'd looked up and seen a mane of bushy brown hair milling around the Parisians, but he'd credited that to the recent developments that had loosened his state of mind. His gait now was much more subdued, and he walked slowly now, gritting his teeth against the headache that was starting to develop.

Once he was back inside his kitchen he slumped down in the chair, pinching the bridge of his nose and scowling as he swallowed a shot from a bottle of _Magical Margie's All in One Headache Buster_.

He needed to get away, he needed an escape, to stop thinking about her. And so he started his book, leaning back in his chair slightly to get more comfortable, pushing away all thoughts and memories of Hermione. He'd become very good at this; he'd needed to, to keep his sanity in check and to try and rebuild his life somewhere different.

There was a knock on his door.

_**Author's Note: **I would have translated the very short conversation between Draco and the old Bookstore lady into French, but I didn't want to murder the French people's language because as we all know I don't speak french, and Google translate is pretty shhiiieeeettt. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this new chapter. Sorry I ended it on a little cliffy (I don't think it's too bad though). I might put up a new chapter later today depending on what's happening for me today. :) Please leave a review if you enjoyed! Thank you for reading!_

_~Chongy_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note:** Okay guys I think I miiiiight have to put up the rating because there is quite a bit of swearing in here, and I'm paranoid. Anyway, here is chapter 5 as promised! :) The next chapter I post up will either be BtD 5 or a 6th chapter for this bad boy. :D Enjoy! ALSO, I FOUND A FOOLPROOF (yes, even for me) WAY TO SEPARATE THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE STORY. And it only took me 9 chapters to find it... ._._

_**Disclaimer: **Roses are red,  
__Violets are blue, __  
__J.K. owns Harry Potter, __  
__What else is new?_

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Draco checked his watch, frowning as he saw that it was past midnight; he'd been reading the whole time. _Who the fuck would be knocking on a door at this time of night...?_

He picked up his wand and walked to the door, still frowning. The person knocked again, and he raised his wand while opening the door, old habits dying hard. He'd had to do this when he lived in England; so many people came to the Manor to curse him, and he'd learnt the hard way too many times.

"Have you seen this ma- Draco?!"

He did a double-take, eyes wide as he stared openly at the small woman with the bushy hair and big brown eyes before him, his chest pulsing painfully. "Granger?"

"Why are you calling me Granger now after nearly three years of calling me Hermione, not least while I was in a-"

"I think the main questions here, Granger, are _why are you at my house_? And _how did you even find me_?"

"I found you, isn't that what matt-"

"_Granger_!" He growled, gritting his teeth and looking anywhere but at her. "You weren't supposed to find me, you were supposed to marry Weasel. Why didn't you? _What the hell happened_?!"

Hermione noticed that he was genuinely very upset that she hadn't married Ron, which was very confusing. "May I come in?" She said quietly, gazing up from under her lashes at him.

Draco just shook his head and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose and stepping aside. He swept his arm down the hallway. "Go ahead."

She started to speak, slightly concerned about how agitated he was. "Are you oka-"

"Just. Go. Kitchen's the first door on the left."

Hermione watched him as he shut the front door, mumbling something that she couldn't quite hear. When he turned to find her still looking at him, he sighed exasperatedly. "Granger, I thought you were supposed to be good at following instructions." She rolled her eyes as he swept past her, opening the door to the kitchen and walking inside. She went slowly, admiring the white paint with blue accents, wondering at his bookshelves crammed with books. She was curious about the hole in the wall by the front door, but said nothing.

Her eyes came to rest on a picture of Draco and his family, pre-War. He looked so young, so happy, and his mother gazed down at him with maternal eyes, lovingly stroking his pale blonde hair. Hermione stifled a gasp as she saw that the place where Lucius should be was blackened and charred; it looked like it had been burnt out with a hate-fuelled hex. But the photo Draco and Narcissa just kept smiling, ignoring the dark stain in the otherwise perfect family picture.

"Granger, what's taking-" He saw her staring at the picture. "Oh."

Hermione gazed at him curiously. "Why did you-"

"You know why." Draco said sharply, capturing her with his piercing gaze.

They walked in silence to his kitchen. Draco pulled out one of the chairs for her and she sat down, looking around at his small but picturesque kitchen. He retreated back to the doorway, his back against the door frame, and his eyes staring out of the kitchen window.

"Draco, I-"

"Why are you even here? If what you said in your _letter_-" His tone turned bitter as moved from his position at the doorway and started brewing some tea, not looking at Hermione. "about you being able to hear everything I said was true, well then you should know that when I said I wanted to forget you, I wasn't joking, Hermione."

His words made her heart feel like it was being squeezed; it was painful, she couldn't breathe properly and it made her want to cry. She liked that he'd stopped calling her Granger, but hated the reason, and the way he was watching her with his impassive silvery-gray eyes.

"You're good at acting, Malfoy." She spat. He merely arched an eyebrow and handed her a mug of steaming tea which she snatched from his hand and sipped grudgingly. It was the perfect kind of tea because Draco knew exactly how she liked it, and had watched her make her own tea many times before perfecting the art himself. She almost smiled in surprise that he'd remembered something as little as that, but then, she wasn't _really_ surprised. Draco had an excellent memory. Her thoughts were disrupted when he suddenly began talking again.

"You have been the sole reason for all my pain the last couple of years, but also the source of as much happiness. It was worth it- boy, was it worth it- but after we broke up... I didn't want more pain if I didn't have the balancing happiness. My ride with you is long over, Granger, get used to it. I can't take it_ anymore_! It hurts to think about you, and I already told you I don't want that. It's why I moved here, to get away, to escape, and suddenly you're on my doorstep, just when I thought I'd finally fucking moved on with my life! I wanted you gone from my life because I'm selfish, sure, and I couldn't and didn't want to see you being happy with anyone but me!

"You have _no idea_ how much pain was involved with that _stupid_ wedding invitation!" He hissed, motioning her to look at the crumpled card on his floor and Hermione flinched at his words. "And the letter! Why oh why would I have wanted to meet up with you?! Did you really think I would go?! To watch you promise to be at Weasel's side forever, to live and love in sickness and health, to say 'I do' and kiss your knight in shining armor? The one who saved you from the tall, skinny and _of course_ incredibly _scary_ and _dangerous_ Death Eater?! Did you expect me to smile, and congratulate you on your happy day, when I wasn't happy, the only one whose heart was being torn to shreds? Don't insult my intelligence, Granger; you would've done the _same thing_ if you were in my shoes!" He finished this part of the rant brokenly, raw pain and bitter resentment reflected in his voice and face, his eyes fiery and molten silver.

"Speaking of which, go back to Weasley! The fucker will be missing you if you don't get back to him soon! I reckon you just stopped the wedding because you thought you weren't ready because you had forgotten to organize everything absolutely fucking perfectly like you always do and I bet you're actually really happy together, and you're doing all the things I wanted to do with you, you'll be planning how many little fucking baby Weasels you're going to have and trying to guess whether they'll have red hair, or webbed feet, or bird's nests for hair like yours, or Weasley's non-existent fucking brains or big hands, or your beautiful honey coloured eyes or..."

He broke off and was suddenly heading straight for her.

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_**Author's Note:** Ooooooooooooh! *insert creepy music here* Why do **you** think Draco is heading straight for her? Leave it in a review! Thanks for reading!_

_~Chongy_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note: **Hello again, my loyal readers! This might be my last post for a couple of days because school is starting tomorrow and everyone knows how cool school is *shifty eyes*. My point is, is that I probably won't have a lot of time, seeing as I'll be tired and angsty after school. But ya never know. Anyway, I promise that I'll keep updating kind of regularly. Haha, someone (Obscure-Reference-Girl) told me that I have turned her into a Dramione shipper. This make me STOKED! I have converted another person to the best pairing in the Potterverse ;D Anyway, your reviews make me really happy, and I like seeing things like 'PLEASE UPDATE SOON!' because it keeps me motivated and lets me know that people are actually really into my stories XD Anyway, enjoy guys! _

_**Disclaimer: **Nah I don't own Harry Potter bro.  
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Hermione got up quickly from her chair, hastily abandoning her tea and backing up against the kitchen cupboards, her breathing fast and shallow as she watched his approaching angry expression and stormy eyes in alarm. And suddenly, she had run out of ground and was against the wall, her eyes darting left and right as his hands came to rest on the wall either side of her head.

"What are you going to do to me?" She said, panic seeping into her tone. He said nothing, watching her shrewdly with a slight frown on his face and bending his arms so their noses were almost touching. Hermione's breathing was off-the-wall, erratic and fluttery, like her heart, which was exploding like fireworks in her chest._  
_

She hadn't been this close to him for so long, and the forgotten memories of little things like how his eyes were actually almost blue from very close up, the crease between his eyebrows when he frowned, and his ever-present elegance rose to the surface. She could smell his scent coming strongly off his skin; musky, spicy and fresh, with a strange swirl of spearmint. It suited him, the musk and spice because no matter how skinny he may be, he still had strong muscles beneath his fair skin and weedy frame, and he was all man. He especially suited the strange spearmint scent that followed him wherever he went; it matched his sometimes icy personality. But it was all Draco.

He watched her closely, studying her as she studied him. The bushy mess of brown curls that he loved so much but never admitted; the sun-kissed skin with it's smattering of freckles that he ached to touch; her honey coloured eyes, golden and beautiful, and so clear and deep he wanted to drown in them; and finally, her rosy lips, turned up slightly at the corners. He wanted to kiss them forever. An impulse to do just that nearly propelled him forwards, and he stopped himself, but only just. _She's with Weasel, don't do it_-

He leaned in closer, dipping his head so their noses _were_ touching, and gently tilted his chin forwards. Their lips touched, lightly at first, like two old friends who hadn't seen each other for years and engage in light conversation. Draco's hands slid slowly and cautiously down the wall, resting on Hermione's shoulders at first, his long, thin fingers drawing light patterns there. When she didn't protest, he ran his hands lightly down her arms before slipping down her sides and resting at her waist, where they fit like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, reeling her in more effectively than any fishing line. His lips pressed a little harder against hers, and she returned the force eagerly, ensnaring his hair within her fingers. This was what her heart had been craving. None of Ron's kind (but crap) kisses, where she ended up having to excuse herself to go the bathroom to wipe the saliva off her face. She finally had the ones she'd been dreaming about, or rather, remembering longingly in her sleep. Someone who knew what he was doing, someone who knew Hermione like the back of his hand, almost as well as she knew herself.

And Draco deepened the kiss, pushing her up against the wall so their bodies were lined up together as he teased her lips open with his tongue. She sighed against him, leaning her head back, and he released her lips from his to trail soft kisses down her newly exposed neck and collarbone. "I love you, Draco." She said blissfully, bringing his head up to recommence kissing him. But the spell had broken; Draco had frozen into place, staring at her in horror.

"Oh no. No no no no no..." He stared at her with wide eyes like he'd suddenly come out of a trance, extricating himself from her tangle of limbs and backing away. "Oh shit." He pinched the bridge of his nose again. He picked up his own tea and took a shaky sip.

They stood on either side of the kitchen, Hermione staring at Draco and Draco staring unseeingly at the fridge to the left of her, both of them breathing heavily.

Hermione was hurt beyond belief. One minute he'd been criticizing her and yelling at her, and the next he had his arms around her and she'd felt safe and happy, and they'd been kissing like she'd never left. She was shocked, hurt and angry, mostly at his words; the warm and fuzzy feeling from his kisses hadn't faded yet. She traced her lips and smiled absently as Draco folded himself into a chair, head in his hands.

Draco I-"

"Please, go away."

"Draco! You're being such a-"

"I have standards, and honour, Granger. I don't go around doing this, I'm not a home-wrecker."

"But me and Ronald are over-"

"But how can I know whether its just a phase and that you won't go running back to him when next we have a fight?"

Hermione was aghast. "I would never-"

"Just go, Granger! You should never have come here!" He threw his half-full mug of tea at the wall, making Hermione flinch as it shattered, raining tea and sharp porcelain on the carpet. An ugly brown ooze started seeping down the pale white wall. "I shouldn't have done that... I shouldn't have kissed you... I- I'm sorry. Please, just go." He'd had a taste of the forbidden fruit and he wanted more. He needed more. But it was killing him being this close to her. "P-please, Granger. I-if you don't have a place to stay, you can sleep in my bed, I'll sleep on the sofa. Just please. I don't... I don't want to see you tonight." He hoped she'd stay forever, but he quickly crushed that hope. She had to get back to Weasley. He didn't want to think about the possibility that he might just be in denial and she actually wanted him again. He couldn't let that hope grow.

Hermione watched him and was surprised to see his face contorted in grief; it made her heart wrench. She remembered his words from earlier, when he'd been sitting at her bedside giving her roses every day. _You know I never meant any of those things I said... you know I only push people away and say things to hurt them when they're getting too close to me, too close to breaking my barriers. You know I'm always guarded... you know that, Hermione. But you didn't listen._

She hadn't listened, but she would now.

"Draco, I'm not going anywhere."

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_**Author's Note: **I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Have a lovely week, and hopefully it will be lovelier with kind of regular updates from me ;D If you enjoyed please leave me a review! They are all really appreciated and it's awesome seeing you guys' reactions! :D Thank you for reading!_

_~Chongy_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note: **Hello, hello! Sorry I didn't update yesterday, things have been rather hectic at home of late, mostly because I had to get up early for school. ANYWAY, I have had a **REALLY BAD **case of writer's block, and have written chapter 6 for Beneath the Darkness **so many times** its doing my head in. Each time I write it, it seems really crappy, so I delete the whole thing and start again, ending the same way every time. It sucks, so I'll tryyyyyy to get out a chapter of that for you guys, but I'll have to see how my writer's block is going when I get back from choir this afternoon. :l Anyway, please enjoy this chapter! :) _

_**Disclaimer**: Dude, I don't have enough hours in the day to own Harry Potter. :'(  
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Draco lead her up to his impeccably neat room and motioned his arm through the doorway. "Here." He opened a drawer for her and laid out an old t-shirt of his and some boxer shorts. "I don't have any other pyjamas, so..."

"It's fine, Draco. Thank you."

He nodded stiffly and pivoted on his heel, striding out of the room, leaving Hermione alone. She sat on his large four poster, gathering his t-shirt to her face and inhaling deeply. It smelt so strongly of him, and she quickly took off her own shirt and bra and tugged on the replacement, closing her eyes and revelling in the smell, letting herself fall back into his soft quilt and pillows. She put on his boxers and smiled as a memory of her doing this years ago floated to the surface. Sudden curiosity gripped her and she got up off Draco's bed and looked around his room. It was sparsely decorated, telling her that he had planned to go back to England. It was painted in a deep mossy green with gold skirting boards. The picture frames were golden as well, containing pictures of his mother and pictures from back at Hogwarts, pictures of him smiling and laughing and so much younger. He looked so different now. So grown up, and so sad. Haunted by things that his mind could not erase. The War had aged him, had aged all of them. She remembered his story; _he had to grow up quickly, from a boy into a man very fast. _They all had had to.

She sighed and her gaze wandered over to a small but thick photo album poking out of his half-open bottom drawer. She tugged it out, frowning slightly. It was old and worn, its weathered red leather cover creased and faded with age. Hermione opened it curiously.

There were photos of her. So many photos of her, of them together. They filled up most of the album, though some pictures were of him and his mother in earlier, happier days. He had labelled most of them, his thin and slanting handwriting easily discernible. _Hermione's birthday; trip to Paris with Mother; the place I'm going to propose to Hermione._

She saw tears dripping onto the black pages, and she quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. But she kept the album open, staring at a picture that must've been Draco's favourite because this page was very worn and dog-eared. It was a photo of them playing in the snow at Malfoy Manor, and her tears started falling like a waterfall, cascading down her face and dripping into her curly hair. He was smiling his disarmingly handsome smile, his gray eyes twinkling and content from underneath his matching gray woollen hat. He was grasping her around the waist as she leant forwards, and she was smiling too, her face completely exposed because her scarf was becoming unravelled and was wrapping itself around Draco's booted left foot. The camera had caught them at the perfect moment, captured a moment so pure and beautiful it almost hurt to look at.

It was also the only Muggle photo in the album, the only one that was forever still.

She stared at it for a while, and then made the decision. She hopped off the bed and padded to the door.

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Draco was lying on his sofa, stripped down to his boxers. His eyes were wide open, and he stared at the ceiling, his ankles crossed and his fingers laced over his stomach. He couldn't sleep with her here; it made him restless, it made him ache to sleep with his arms around her, to feel her warmth against him. But he couldn't, and he wouldn't do that to Weasley, no matter how much he hated the red-haired git. So he just lay there, staring and thinking. After a little longer of circling thoughts about Hermione, he got up and went to sit on the window seat. He opened the curtain and stared out at the inky black night sky dotted with stars, the full moon taking centre stage and glowing a glorious silvery gold and leeching the colour from everything; his lounge and garden were all varying shades of black and white, making everything look fantastical and surreal.

Suddenly he heard footsteps coming into the lounge, and willed himself not to give in and turn around.

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He was sitting on the window seat, facing his garden outside and he didn't see her come in. His body was bathed in the moonlight, and she noticed that he was only wearing a pair of boxers, so his torso was pale and bare. Everything was black and white, and he slowly turned to watch her over his shoulder, his eyes gray and stormy and his complexion pale and impassive. His hair gleamed a burning white, and the shadows on his face rippled and danced as his neck twisted gracefully. And he was beautiful.

She made her way over to him at the window, sitting down next to him. His eyes followed her the entire time, which was both unnerving and comforting. It was the same as they'd always been, him watching her every move with thoughtful and calculating interest. Once she sat down though, his attention snapped back to the garden outside, the branches of the black trees rustling their gray leaves in the light breeze. She watched him, but he made no indication that he noticed her; indeed, it seemed that he was so absorbed in the scene outside that she was invisible to him. He could've been a statue, were it not for his breathing and the occasional blink of his eyes.

They sat like that in silence for half an hour, Draco surveying the quiet street and Hermione studying him like a fresh new textbook, before she leaned against him. He froze even more, if that was possible, and his gaze was turned down to her head on his shoulder. They sat for another ten minutes before he tentatively wrapped one arm around her shoulder, the other stroking her hair soothingly. She could feel his hard muscles against her back, so she scooted into his lap. He seemed to give in to something he was trying to hold back, and he gathered her in his arms, his lips pressing gently to her temple. She turned her head to watch him, but his eyes remained impassive, watching the stars outside again. He was still so guarded, so tense; she could feel it in the hardness of his shoulders, the faraway look in his eyes. They sat like that for about an hour or so, Hermione absently stroking his side.

Suddenly Draco turned her around and pushed her down so she was lying down on the seat, facing Draco, who was above her. "What are you-"

"Shh." He whispered, his eyes roaming her face, sweeping stray curls away with gentle fingers. She leaned into his touch. "Shut your eyes."

She complied cautiously. His fingers began to trace her face, smoothing the crease between her eyebrows, tender fingertips ghosting over her lips, which she parted slightly. He traced her eyelids, to the tip of her nose, along her jaw... He lovingly peppered soft kisses all over her face, coming to rest on her lips. Now his kisses were slow and sensual, gathering warmth in the pit of her stomach as he travelled down to her jaw, and then her neck. He sucked her skin gently, then returned to her mouth.

"I love you, Draco."

He just intensified the kiss. But he couldn't say it. All these months he'd told her that he loved her, all this time and he couldn't say it to her watching eyes.

"Draco...?"

He sat up, watching her and frowning. "What?"

"Will you take me upstairs and sleep with me tonight?"

Draco almost smiled, but kept his impassive mask in place as he inclined his head.

He did as she asked, gathering her in his arms and walking up to his bedroom, his lips never leaving hers. Draco delicately placed her on his bed, but then stood next to it, watching her anxiously.

"Draco what's wrong?"

"I can't. You and Weasley-"

"Are finished, Draco. I... I never really loved anyone but you. You know that."

"No I don't."

"Now you do. I never really wanted Ron _that _way, but he was my best friend and I couldn't say no..."

"Learn to say no, Granger. I have. Countless times. But that was due to very unpleasant things."

A smile tugged at her lips when he used that nickname, a smile she tried to hide as she always pretended that she hated it. "I will. But I won't really need to now, because-"

"Are you sure you are completely finished with Weasley?"

"Yes."

"Did you... did you ever have..." It was the first time Draco had ever struggled for words.

"Hmm?"

"Nevermind." He closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "And you're sure you want to get back with me? And you're sure you are absolutely done with Weasley? Because when you're mine, Granger, you're mine and no-one else's. No-one else can hold a piece of your heart if you give it completely to me."

"It's over between me and Ronald. And we've done this before, stop acting like it's such a big deal-"

"It _is_ a big deal, Hermione."

"How?"

"We... we haven't been this close for nearly two years-"

"Yes we have, when you came to visit me we were close!" Argued Hermione, her eyebrows pulling down into a scowl.

"_Granger_! That doesn't fucking count! You were in a fucking coma-"

"I was conscious though! I knew it was you!"

"My point, Granger, is that we haven't been _this_ close..." He paused. "We haven't been this close emotionally or physically for nearly two years, and I don't want to blow it again." He got into the bed and lay next to her, holding her and nuzzling her neck.

Hermione frowned, trying to roll over and face him, but his arms had trapped her facing away from him. "Draco I thought we were going to-"

"And I told you that I've learnt to say no. I'm saying no, Granger. I don't want anything tonight."

The warmth in the pit of her stomach didn't leave, and she whined at him, even though she knew exactly how childish she was being. "But Draco why not? What about what I want?"

"Because this time around, I want to make sure I make no mistakes. I'm never letting you go again. You're too good to let slip through my fingers, Granger. So we're going to take it slow and steady, because that's what wins the race."

Her surprise overpowered her annoyance and she nearly giggled in delight. He had obviously been reading Aesop's Fables. _Muggle stories_. She had never been able to persuade him to read Muggle books before.

"I won't ever leave you again then." Hermione said, pulling one of his hands up to her face and kissing it.

Draco fell asleep almost instantly, but Hermione lay awake for a long time, thinking.

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**_Author's_ _Note_:** _Hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter (and that there weren't too many random editing errors)! Whenever I do a spellcheck on this thing, it always comes up with perfectly spelled words that are wrong. My guess is that this website (or, more likely, my web browser) is set to American English, whereas we Kiwis use U.K. English, which gets really confusing for some things. That was just a heads up on any 'spelling mistakes' you might come across, because I know most of the people who read these stories are Americans (or from America) :) They are right, but not in American English ;) Anyway, leave a review and follow and/or favourite if you enjoyed! Thank you for reading!_

_~Chongy_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note: **Yeeeaaahhh sorry I haven't been posting on this or BtD. :l But I'm here now. :D This is a (kind of, but not really) saucy chapter. This is also a short chapter. (Sorry...) ANYWAY, DID YOU GUYS KNOW THAT I'VE NOW HAD OVER 5000 VIEWS AND 2000 VISITORS ON THIS AND BtD?! HOLY CROW! Thanks guys :) Enjoy this chapter!_

_**Disclaimer: **Do I have to do one every time, or...?  
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Hermione lay awake for nearly the whole night. She thought about what Draco had said, about how he wanted to take it slow. And she thought that he was right to be cautious, right to want to take it slow. And then she realised what he'd meant by his embarrassed question earlier, and she almost laughed. His arms had slackened around her, so she turned to face his sleeping form. He looked so serene, and he was smiling for the first time since she'd seen him that evening.

"Draco?" His smiled broadened slightly when she said his name. "We didn't, I promise." And then she fell asleep.

Draco woke up first the next morning, having had the best sleep he'd had in years. Hermione was still asleep though, so he carefully disentangled himself from her and rose from the bed with every intention of making her breakfast in bed, but he froze when he saw her face. It was so lovely, and so perfect that he couldn't help but stare at her lashes as they grazed the tops of her freckle-spotted cheeks, at the way her full and rosy lips were curved in a small smile. He gently pushed a stray strand of hair away from her face, lovingly trailing his hand down the side of her face.

"Hermione, I-" Her eyelids fluttered, and she woke up. He swallowed. He had to say it. He _had _to. But the words just wouldn't rise to his lips. "You're so beautiful, Hermione."

She smiled sleepily and sat up, yawning. "Good morning to you too."

Draco was suddenly full of a happiness and warmth he couldn't understand, so he clasped her hand in his and pulled her up out of the bed so he could hug her. "It is a wonderful morning. Do you know why?"

She shook her head no.

"Because I'm with you."

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They made breakfast together. It started romantic and then developed into a fight, then ended romantically again, just as it had always been.

"Pass me the bacon, Granger. Otherwise just sit down."

"No, I want to help!"

"You can help by bringing me the bacon from the fridge."

"Ha ha. Funny, Draco. I'm not sitting down, and I'll cook the bacon myself."

"Granger, you're a guest here. I'm cooking you breakfast-"

"No, you're not."

He threw his hands in frustration, gritting his teeth as he realised he nearly smashed the window with the frying pan he was holding. "Fine!" He yelled, slamming it down. "Have it your way! I was only trying to..." Draco just shook his head. "Nevermind. Just... do it, I guess. I'll make the toast."

Hermione suddenly felt a rush of guilt. "Draco I-"

"Don't worry about it." He smiled suddenly and stood behind her at the frying pan, putting the bacon in and turning the element on with a flick of his wand, then wrapped his arms around her waist. "We can do it together." And he kissed her shoulder. "Did you know, I actually like how you're so damn stubborn. Sometimes. Otherwise, it's really annoying, Granger."

Hermione just laughed. "Uh-huh."

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After their breakfast, they walked around Paris, and Draco showed her all the tourist sights, and he bought her roses from the vendor on the street, changing them to a sunset-orange colour with magic when no-one was looking. He handed them to her and she blushed, looking down at her feet. He just tilted her chin up and kissed her. He took her to a cafe for lunch, and then took her to his favourite bookstore, which was next door.

"I love it." She said as soon as she stepped over the threshold. "It's... it's..."

"Wonderful."

"Yes, that."

Draco smiled. "I've probably bought half the books in this store already."

Hermione laughed. "Yes, I saw. You're worse than I am when it comes to books."

"Hmm. Maybe." He pecked her cheek and took her hand again, squeezing it tightly.

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"Do I get a goodnight kiss?"

They were standing in front of his door. Draco pretended to think about it, rubbing his chin. "Hmmm... no." He smirked and winked at her.

Hermione faked outrage. "What? 'No'?! Why not?"

"Because a goodnight _kiss_ is so droll... I want to give you something better." He pulled her towards him and kissed her passionately, finding the door handle behind her and pushing it open, stumbling inside together. She pushed him away, smiling coyly.

"Come and find me." She said, and quickly scampered to the kitchen. He shut the front door and followed slowly after her, and when he was about halfway down the hall, he saw a shirt hanging seductively off Hermione's finger. He closed his eyes and smiled, then carried on, faster this time. He finally caught her halfway up the stairs, still in her underwear and bra. He growled playfully and encased her in his arms, pulling her up the rest of the stairs with him to his bedroom. She giggled and slipped out of his grip, going to lie on his bed and bat her eyelashes innocently at him. Draco just growled again and walked quickly over to the bed, a warm feeling washing over him and resting in the pit of his stomach.

"You," He said, lying on top of her and punctuating each word with a kiss. "Are - so - beautiful - and - so - sexy - Granger." Draco told her, and then he stopped talking and started kissing her again. She closed her eyes for a little bit, then opened them again and started working on the buttons lining his shirt. He helped her, and soon his shirt was on the floor too. Hermione ran her hands along the flat plane of his back, then moved them to his front and started tracing his chest and stomach. He let out a low groan and started kissing her more deeply, moving down her jaw to her neck. He nipped her gently and she squirmed, biting her lip and and letting out a long sigh.

Draco ran his hands down her sides and pulled her underwear down slowly with his teeth. She cried out, arching her back and starting to pant. "Draco," She pleaded, opening her eyes and watching him. "Draco, please..."

And he gave in because she was so perfect, her curly hair fanning out around her and a rosy tinge to her skin, the breathy noises she kept making, and because he couldn't hold back any longer.

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.

He watched her explode, repeating his name over and over again like a prayer, losing complete control of herself as she let out a long, luxurious moan, going rigid and then limp in his arms.

Not too soon afterwards, he found his release too. "Hermione!" He gasped out as he sank into her embrace, lying on top of her and panting.

"Hermione, I love you."

.

.

.

_**Author's Note: **Hooray for awkward sex scenes! I actually had a whole lot more saucy sexiness (omg I'm an alliteration genius! ._. ) but I was really paranoid because I am still a newbie to this site and don't know what the whole thing with the ratings and stuff mean, even though I carefully read the guidelines and stuff (I don't get why its like K, K+, T, M. Why can't they just go kids-WAIT I GET IT. OHHHHH. NEVERMIND.). Mostly because I'm paranoid and don't want my writing taken down. :l Anyway, I have an account on (I also have the same username on that site. Funny that), so I might post a smuttier version of this story on there. If I can be bothered. Fact is, I was reading all the terms and conditions and stuff that was banned and the dark stuff and whatnot that- OHMYLAWWDDD there are so many damn steps to posting on that site. So I will ***attempt*** to post these stories (but sexier wut) on there. :D Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, sorry for the short chapter (it was longer, but I took all the smut out ;) ). I will post something up (hopefully) on BtD soonish. :) Thanks for reading! Oh yeah, and thank you for your lovely reviews! I really love reading you guys' opinions, you guys are so amazing! :')_

_~Chongy_


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